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(E X P L I C I T!) I can’t d e c i d e Whether you should l i v e or d i e Oh, you’ll probably go to heaven Please don’t hang your head and cry S U R P R I S E A desert dragon wandered the dark palace hallways alone. “Tonight,” Melanite had said, his words nearly tumbling over each other in a way that Lithop had found unbearably adorable. “In the east courtyard. I’ve asked Arylide to temporarily cover for me.” At the presumably worried look that criss crossed Lithop’s face, he cupped the smaller SandWing’s talons in his own and squeezed them reassuringly. “It’ll only take a few moments, I promise. I won’t get in trouble. This is important, it can’t wait.” And so naturally, he had believed him. There was rarely a time when Melanite was wrong, and when he was, it was usually something unimportant and nothing to fret over. Lithop fidgeted uncomfortably as he stared down still shadows across white marble floors. The torches that casted such shapes and images flicked and flared brightly overhead. He couldn’t explain why, but he felt more restless than what he was accustomed to. And the desire to find Melanite immediately burned in his chest as harshly as a SkyWing’s hot flame. Something just wasn’t right with the air. He quickened his pace. It isn’t like I’m doing anything wrong, Lithop thought, attempting and failing to stomp down his worry as he made a sharp left at the hallway’s dead end. Palace staff are free to wander around the stronghold at night. Queen Andhi doesn’t mind at all. Except it’s not that that’s putting me on edge, is it? Oh moons, I hope Melanite is alright. Please be alright. I don’t know what I’d do without you. You’re literally my everything. The SandWing cursed the heavens and moons and Mighty Gazelle for the distance that stood between his sleeping cave and courtyard. His chambers were located at far back of the palace, alongside the rest of the servant’s quarters. Sometimes Melanite would invite him over for the night in his sleeping cave in the guard’s quarters, on the unlikely chance he wasn’t off being one of the sole protectors of the stronghold. Lithop envied those nights more than ever right now. When his talons finally settled on the cool sand of the outdoor courtyard, Lithop scanned the area for any sign of Melanite. His station wasn’t very far, so he should have been there much sooner than he was and waiting patiently for Lithop’s arrival by the entrance. But he wasn’t. The courtyard was completely barren. As he made a second sweep of his surroundings, Lithop’s gaze landed on a slump form hauled up against one of the south walls. Is that…? Lithop scurried over to the slowly familiarizing shape with one frantic, desperate thought on his mind. Please be okay please be okay please be okay. He sat down beside the body and turned its head with gentle talons to reveal the handsome and charming features of his dear lover. His eyes were closed, and although his scales still held some of the warmth he was used to, their heat had very much dimmed. Lithop placed a claw on Melanite’s chest to feel a rapidly speeding heartbeat before having it hover above a small cut a few inches below his jawline, barely leaking with blood. Just unconscious. He’s not dead. He breathed a sigh of relief. He’s fine, although I should probably get him inside and to a healer. I can’t possibly carry him on my own, of course. I’ll find Arylide and have him assist me. As he turned to make his way back inside the palace, his body instinctively froze at the sight before him. A dragonet, no older than four or five maybe, crouched halfway obscured in inky black shadows, her focused blue eyes seeming to glow in the dark of night. Slung around her neck were several satchels and pouches, all various shades of a thin brown cloth. Behind her, a barbed tail was raised and flicking threateningly, arched in the way a scorpion might hold their own. Smoke spiraled their way around her horns like columns, dancing towards the moonlit sky. Lithop swallowed, cursing himself for being ridiculous. He shouldn’t be scared or intimidated or shaking with fear. It was only a dragonet for Gazelle’s sake! But that dragonet took down Melanite, his mind warned, and he’s one of the best fighters I know. I’m only a palace servant with no fighting experience. What chance do I have? The dragonet watched his inner debate, which Lithop couldn’t help but note as unnervingly disturbing- with how she stared so calmly and quietly and at ease. He parted his jaws to speak, despite knowing he probably wouldn’t receive a reliable response. “H-hi,” he stammered. Do not fidget. “I, uh, hi. Um. What are you doing here, little one?” Her eyes instantly narrowed at his words, making Lithop want to oh so desperately take them back. He edged backwards in the direction of Melanite’s unconscious form, as if he could protect him from whatever faith was sure to befall upon him. And then, to his surprise, she spoke in a mediocre tone. “I don’t have time for this.” He barely managed to comprehend that sentence before she was lunging at him, claws instantly flying out to dig at his eyes. With a startled yelp, Lithop lept back, nearly tripping over Melanite, as he scrambled to get away from the snarling, furious dragonet. Her claws nearly got a hold of his wing, the graze so light on his membrane that it didn’t bleed, but hard enough that it hurt. Lithop fled for the exit. The dragonet darted overhead to land on the sands and block his escape, lips drawn back back into a sneer before she breathed a plume of flames at his face. Quickly, he ducked, biting back a cry of pain as the fire singed and burned his ridge. She leapt through the dying inferno and aimed for his neck with snapping jaws, Lithop surprising himself by ducking and weaving out of the way. He dashed for the other end of the courtyard and ignored his screaming muscles. His life was on the line- they were of least importance. There’s no way I’m getting out of this alive. I can’t kill. I haven’t even thrown an attack at her. She’s going to kill me. I’m going to die I’m going to die I’M GOING TO-'' Lithop skidded to a halt before he could hit the wall. ''Wings. You have wings. Fly, you fool! His wings flared open, but before he could get a chance to take off, the dragonet was on him, using her weight to roughly wrestle him into the sand. Without any rhythm or pattern, his talons desperately flew out to lay blows on her scales. He almost felt a glimmer of pride as she responded with surprised and pained hisses. In retaliation, her claws hooked into his neck. Lithop barely payed the pain any mind, his attention and focus devoted to throwing his assailant off. With a grip dug so deeply into his scales, it proved to be difficult and nearly impossible. He forced himself to stand on his hind talons, and with the weight of the dragonet on his back, they both came crashing down. She was crushed beneath him, her claws removing themselves to batter uselessly at his shoulders. Lithop stumbled back to his talons and quickly swung around to face her as she did the same, chest heaving. A blade had fallen from one of her many pouches and onto the sand and she rushed to grab it. Then, she threw it at him. This time, he did allow himself to cry out. The knife had lodged itself into shoulder, almost having gone through to the other side. He was too shell shocked to realize the dragonet had knocked him over and pinned him down, twisting the knife further into his flesh. Hot, salty tears raced down his cheeks, both from the flares of agony and the knowledge that it was over. She had won. And she rewarded herself with the prize. The dragonet’s barb came down hard on his skull, sending venom pulsing towards his brain. He was too blinded from the gushing waterfalls of tears and agony to see clearly, but through the haze, he could almost make out pity on the dragonet’s face. No. Please. No no no. Please please please. I can’t-'' Everything went dark. 'My heart feels d e a d inside' 'It’s c o l d and h a r d and p e t r i f i e d' 'L o c k the doors and close the b l i n d s' 'We’re going for a r i d e''' Category:Fanfictions Category:Fanfictions (Canon) Category:Fanfictions (Completed) Category:Genre (Tragedy) Category:Content (Icebutterfly116)